In Old Arizona (1928)

Directed by

Irving Cummings, Raoul Walsh

Genre

Western film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 35m

Rated

NR

Rating

5.4 of 10 from 35 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This early sound western follows the Cisco Kid a charming outlaw in the Old West. He gets involved with a woman and faces pursuit from the law. The film is notable for being one of the first talkies shot on location.

groundbreakinglightheartedoutdoorsyhistoricalsingingambitiousromanticizedstaged

What happens

In Old Arizona is a 1928 American sound (All-Talking) pre-Code Western film directed by Raoul Walsh and Irving Cummings, nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film, which was based on the character of the Cisco Kid in the 1907 story "The Caballero's Way" by O. Henry, was a major innovation in Hollywood. It was the first major Western to use the new technology of sound and the first talkie to be filmed outdoors. It made extensive use of authentic locations, filming in Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park in Utah, and the Mission San Juan Capistrano and the Mojave Desert in California. The film premiered in Los Angeles on December 25, 1928, and went into general release on January 20, 1929. In Old Arizona contributed to creating the image of the singing cowboy, as its star, Warner Baxter, does some incidental singing. Baxter went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. Other nominations included Best Director for Irving Cummings, Best Writing for Tom Barry, Best Cinematography for Arthur Edeson, and Best Picture. The film entered the public domain on January 1, 2024. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

• The Cisco Kid (1931)
• Lucky Cisco Kid (1940)
• The Gay Caballero (1940)
• The Gay Amigo (1950)
• Riding the California Trail (1947)
• The Return of the Cisco Kid (1939)
• Robin Hood of Monterey (1947)
• The Cisco Kid (1994)